During the Antarctic summer seasons of 1956–57 and 1957–58, a British Royal Naval Hydrographic Survey Unit operated off the coast of west Graham Land. Working sometimes from stations of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, and sometimes from camp sites, an area of coastline from Port Lockroy southwards to Ferin Head was systematically examined, triangulated and charted.

The mobility of this small unit depended on one all-important factor, the constant availability of a specially converted 29 ft. motor boat, which acted as both transport and home.